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Minister in bankruptcy pledge

A member of the government has said it is committed to carrying out more intervention in the economy to protect businesses.

Minister for housing and planning John Healey argued that the approach of the current government will be a better one than that of the Conservatives in the 1990s, who he said left people to "struggle" on their own through the downturn.

In contrast, he stated: "We are taking whatever action is needed to help people stay in their homes, to help people stay in work and also to help firms stay in business."

Those whose companies may be struggling in the downturn and might need help to deal with the situation can pick up a DIY pack on company management.

Figures from the Insolvency Service show that in the opening three months of 2009 there were 5,110 companies liquidated in England and Wales.

This represented the fifth successive quarter in which the total had risen.